Humana does not publish its own power of attorney form. To act for a Humana member, you submit a healthcare power of attorney that has already been validly executed under your state’s law, and Humana records the agent’s authority on the member’s account. The company’s own submission page describes the process as sending in “legal documentation that appoints you or another person as healthcare Power of Attorney (POA) for one of our Humana members.”1Humana. Power of Attorney (POA) Form
So the task is twofold: have a proper POA in hand, then get a copy to the right Humana address with enough identifying information that staff can match it to the member’s policy.
What Humana Will Accept
Any legally executed healthcare POA under your state’s law should work. Humana’s consent form for the release of protected health information spells out that legal representatives must attach copies of their authorization, and lists healthcare power of attorney, healthcare surrogate designations, living wills, and guardianship papers as examples of acceptable documents.2Humana. Consent for Release of Protected Health Information
A POA limited to financial or real estate matters will not do. The authority has to cover healthcare decisions and insurance matters, because that is the ground on which the agent will be dealing with Humana.
For Medicare appeals and grievances, a valid legal representation document can stand in for Humana’s usual Appointment of Representative paperwork. Humana states that you do not need a separate Appointment of Authorized Representative form if you already provide a valid legal representation document with your request.3Humana. Grievances, Appeals and Exceptions
What the POA Needs to Say
If no POA exists yet, the member (the “principal”) has to create one before anything can be submitted. You can use your state’s statutory form, work with an attorney, or use a reputable document preparation service.
Identify both people clearly. For the principal, use the full legal name exactly as it appears on the Humana insurance card, plus date of birth and Humana Member ID number. The Member ID is not a legal requirement for the POA itself, but it keeps the document from stalling when Humana tries to match it to a policy. For the agent (also called the attorney-in-fact), include full legal name, current residential address, phone number, and relationship to the member.
Then spell out the scope of authority. For insurance purposes, that should at minimum cover accessing medical records, communicating with healthcare providers and insurers, filing and appealing claims, and making coverage decisions. If you want the agent to handle billing disputes or change plan enrollments, say so in the document rather than leaving it to inference.
Durability
A durable POA stays in effect if the principal later becomes incapacitated. For dealing with a health insurer, durability is almost always what you want, because a non-durable POA expires the moment the principal loses capacity, which is often exactly when the agent is needed. Most state statutory forms include durability language by default; confirm this if you are drafting your own.
Notarization and Witnesses
Signing requirements come from state law, and they matter because Humana can reject a document that was not properly executed. Most states require the principal’s signature to be acknowledged before a notary public. Some states let you sign in front of two witnesses who are not named as agents in the document.
Notarization is the safer path regardless of what your state allows as a minimum, because a notarized signature carries a legal presumption of genuineness that a witnessed-only signature does not, and insurers tend to accept notarized documents without pushback.
Sending the POA to Humana
Once the POA is signed and notarized, send a copy to:
Humana Correspondence Office
P.O. Box 14611
Lexington, KY 40512-46114Humana. Legal Information
Check the back of the member’s Humana ID card as well. It may list a plan-specific address that routes to a different processing center depending on coverage type. To confirm receipt or ask questions, call the member services number on the ID card. If you don’t have the card, Humana’s general line is 866-427-7478.5Humana. Contact Humana
Keep the original notarized POA and send a copy. Humana doesn’t need the original, and you will almost certainly need it for banks, medical providers, and other institutions. If you are sending the POA alongside a PHI consent form or an appeal, attach it directly to that submission so a single reviewer has the whole package.
CMS-1696: The Medicare-Only Alternative
Humana Medicare members have a second option for a single appeal or grievance: Form CMS-1696, Appointment of Representative. It is narrower than a general POA. It authorizes someone to act on the member’s behalf for one specific Medicare claim, appeal, grievance, or request rather than granting ongoing authority.6Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Appointment of Representative (Form CMS-1696)
The practical differences from a POA:
- Scope. A POA can cover all healthcare and insurance decisions. The CMS-1696 covers only the specific Medicare matter identified on the form.
- Duration. The CMS-1696 is valid for one year from the date both the member and representative sign it, though representation continues through the end of any claim or appeal already in progress when that year expires.6Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Appointment of Representative (Form CMS-1696)
- Fees. Any fee the representative charges may be reviewed and approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Providers and suppliers involved in the disputed items or services cannot charge a fee and must sign a fee waiver.6Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Appointment of Representative (Form CMS-1696)
- Execution. The CMS-1696 requires only the signatures of the member and the representative. No notarization or witnesses.
If a valid POA is already on file with Humana, you generally don’t need to also submit a CMS-1696 for an appeal.3Humana. Grievances, Appeals and Exceptions The CMS-1696 is most useful when there is no POA and someone needs to handle a single Medicare issue quickly.
What the Representative Can Do Once Humana Accepts the POA
HIPAA treats a healthcare POA holder as the member’s personal representative. Under 45 CFR 164.502, if applicable law gives someone authority to make healthcare decisions for an adult, the covered entity must give that person the same access to protected health information as the patient would have.7eCFR. 45 CFR 164.502
In practice, that means the agent can request the member’s complete medical record (mental health information included), call Humana’s member services line, discuss benefits and claims, and receive explanation-of-benefits documents and other coverage communications.8U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Does Having a Health Care Power of Attorney Allow Access to the Patient’s Medical and Mental Health Records Under HIPAA?
Changing or Ending the Authorization
A member who still has legal capacity can revoke a POA at any time, whether they want to take back control of their own affairs or switch to a different agent. Revocation needs written notice to both the agent and to Humana. Until Humana receives written notice, the company may keep treating the named representative as authorized, so a verbal statement to the agent is not enough.
Send the written revocation to the same Humana correspondence address you used for the original submission, then call member services to confirm the representative has been removed. If a new agent is taking over, submit the new POA at the same time to avoid a gap.
A POA also ends automatically when the principal dies. An agent who acts in good faith without knowing the principal has died is generally protected, and those actions remain binding on the estate; once the agent learns of the death, the authority ends and the executor or administrator of the estate becomes the right person to handle any remaining insurance matters.